Engadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/tag/nexus/rss.xml
https://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif?cachebust=trueEngadget RSS Feedhttps://www.engadget.com/tag/nexus/rss.xml
en-usEngadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronicsCopyright 2017 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/19/android-911-calls-gps-info/https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/19/android-911-calls-gps-info/https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/19/android-911-calls-gps-info/#comments

A lot can happen during a car accident. Between the initial shock from the impact, airbags going off and general disorientation, when you reach for your phone to call 911 you might not know where you are. Couple all that with cell phones' notoriously flaky ability at transmitting your exact location information to emergency service operators, and getting an ambulance to the scene of your accident can be incredibly difficult. To help sidestep that, Google has updated its Phone app to automatically display your location when making a 911 call.

Wondering when you should upgrade your Nexus or Pixel? Google has updated its support page to reflect when it will no longer offer telephone and online support for the devices, and you can use that info to make a decision. In the past, the big G promised that its phones will get Android updates for at least two years and security updates for at least three years after they're released. Once it security updates stop, phone and online support stop, as well.

Google's Pixel and Pixel XL phones debuted to strong reviews, but not all has been perfect since -- supply has been a problem, as has quality control. Case in point -- some smartphones have been freezing at random times, requiring a complete reboot to clear the problem. Luckily, Google has just released a new OTA update that "should address many of the freezing issues that have been reported."

Many modern smartphones can take decent photos when the sun goes down, but their noisy, washed out images still don't hold a candle to the shots from a high-end DSLR. Google researcher Florian Kainz might have a way of closing that gap at least some of the time, however. In response to a challenge from one of his team members, he wrote an experimental Android app that helps take exceptionally clean photos in even the darkest conditions. The software gives you manual control over exposure, focus distance and ISO sensitivity, all of which are crucial to low-light photography. When you tap the shutter button, the app takes a burst of up to 64 photos. After that, it's a matter of some calculation: Kainz eliminates the noise by computing the mean of the frames, and can remove artifacts by subtracting the mean of frames shot with tape over the sensor.

A federal class action complaint has been filed accusing Google and Huawei of fraud, breaching warranty and improperly handling customer complaints after a number of Nexus 6P smartphones unexpectedly shut down and became trapped in "boot loop" cycles. The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and it claims Google and Huawei have never publicly admitted there were issues with the Nexus 6P, even while they continued to sell the phone.

Instant tethering started making its way to some Android users in late January, allowing them to set up an automatic hotspot connection between devices. Now that the feature is officially available, more people should have access to it -- but it still only works with Pixel and Nexus devices. The new FAQ section dedicated to the feature confirms what was reported before: Pixel and Nexus phones running Nougat can act as hosts or the source of internet connection. Tablets like the Pixel C and Nexus 9, as well as phones running Android Marshmallow, however, can only use shared data connections and can't act as hosts.

The November Android security update is live and it fixes 15 critical vulnerabilities, but it doesn't patch a major Linux kernel exploit that can give hackers quick and complete access to devices running on Google's OS. Researcher Phil Oester discovered the flaw (CVE-2016-5195) in October, though he believes it's existed since 2007. The exploit is known as "Dirty COW" because of its basis in copy-on-write systems (and maybe because that name is adorable).

]]>
androiddirtycowexploitgeargoogleinternetlinuxmobilenexuspersonal computingpersonalcomputingpixelsecurityupdateTue, 08 Nov 2016 16:15:00 -050021|21601528https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/07/the-pixels-release-doesn-t-mean-your-nexus-is-completely-toast/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/07/the-pixels-release-doesn-t-mean-your-nexus-is-completely-toast/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/07/the-pixels-release-doesn-t-mean-your-nexus-is-completely-toast/#comments
Google unveiled its fancy new Pixel phone during a press event on Tuesday. If you haven't seen it yet, it's an impressive handset, with VR capabilities, a fast-charging battery, supposedly the best-ever phone camera, a super-smart AI assistant and Android 7.1. It's also the harbinger of death for the current line of Google Nexus smartphones.
]]>
androidgeargooglegoogle assistantinternetmobilenexusnexus 5xnexus onenexus5xnexus6pnougatpicasapixelsundar pichaithe pixelwearablesFri, 07 Oct 2016 11:00:00 -040021|21576021https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/07/the-engadget-podcast-ep-9-what-s-he-building-in-there/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/07/the-engadget-podcast-ep-9-what-s-he-building-in-there/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/07/the-engadget-podcast-ep-9-what-s-he-building-in-there/#comments
Managing editor Dana Wollman and senior editor Devindra Hardawar join host Terrence O'Brien to dig through all the big Google news from the week, including the launch of the Pixel phones. Plus they take a brief detour to talk about what makes the PlayStation VR better than its competitors.
]]>
aiengadgetpodcastgadgetrygadgetsgaminggeargooglegoogleassistantgooglehomegooglenowmobilenexuspixelpixelxlplaystationplaystationvrpodcastpsvrservicessonytheengadgetpodcastvirtualrealityvrFri, 07 Oct 2016 10:16:00 -040021|21576618https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/04/a-look-back-at-googles-android-flagships-the-nexus-family/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/04/a-look-back-at-googles-android-flagships-the-nexus-family/https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/04/a-look-back-at-googles-android-flagships-the-nexus-family/#comments

Android purists have always had the same response to new smartphone announcements from the likes of HTC, Samsung or LG. "I'll just wait for the next Nexus." And why not? For years, Google's Nexus line served both as its official flagship products and as public reference devices for the latest in Android phones and tablets. Now, Google has replaced the brand with a new top dog: the Pixel. At first blush, it's everything users loved about the Nexus line and more -- but before we close the casket on Google's first series of smartphones, let's look back and talk about what made the Nexus brand so special.

You may be wondering why Google appears to be going with HTC for this year's Pixel phones instead of Huawei. Wasn't the Nexus 6P a rousing success? Apparently, Huawei and Google aren't getting along quite as well as you might think. An Android Policesource understands that Huawei bristled at Google's plan to take more control over its Android hardware, which included erasing any mentions of the phone builder's name. Huawei wanted a larger footprint in the US, and it wasn't going to get that by being reduced to a contract manufacturer.

]]>
androidgeargooglegx8honor5xhuaweimatebookmobilenexusnexus6ppixelsmartphoneMon, 03 Oct 2016 16:24:00 -040021|21489468https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/26/google-pixel-render/https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/26/google-pixel-render/https://www.engadget.com/2016/09/26/google-pixel-render/#comments
Along with its leak of the 4K Chromecast earlier today, VentureBeat is showing off this picture that it says is of Google's upcoming Pixel phone. Along with the larger Pixel XL, it's expected to be the successor to previous Nexus devices, with a 5-inch 1080p screen and 32GB of storage onboard. A potential $649 starting price is also raising eyebrows, but previous leaks from Android Police indicate that the most notable feature will be software built to maximize Google's new Assistant AI.

In just a couple of weeks, we could have our first official look at Google's renamed flagship phones, so brace yourself for leaks and unofficial revelations. Take for instance, these images posted by Android Police. They apparently show the Pixel and the Pixel XL, and they do look like the computer render of the phone that leaked earlier, as well as the device Nest used in a new commercial.

Why wait for Google's rumored Pixel / not-Nexus phones, when you could use some of their software right now? The latest release of Action Launcher has arrived, and it cribs some of the features noted in Android Police's leak of the software Google is apparently preparing for its Android devices. According to its developer Chris Lacy, the new release is entirely inspired by the leaks. The reason? As soon as Google makes a change, many of his users request similar features in Action Launcher, but this time, he's getting out ahead of the curve.

The answer to the question of what Google will call its upcoming Nexus phones may turn out to be not Nexus at all. Android Central first reported a name change last week, while tonight Android Police notes sources saying there will be two devices, one 5-inch phone called the Pixel and a 5.5-inch phone called the Pixel XL. More importantly, it also has a date (seconding a previous report by Droid-Life) for their debut: October 4th.

After a surprise debut and months of previews, Android 7.0 Nougat is ready for prime time. The broad strokes haven't changed since we first met Nougat back in March (when it was just "Android N"), which means it's still not the game-changer of an update some people have been hoping for. Instead, what we got was a smattering of big (and overdue) features mixed with lower-level changes that make Android more elegant. That might not make for the most viscerally exciting update, but that doesn't make Nougat any less valuable or useful.

]]>
androidandroidngeargooglemobilenexusnexus5xnexus6pnougat androidnougatpixelcreviewservicesMon, 29 Aug 2016 17:30:00 -040021|21461416https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/26/google-is-killing-off-the-device-assist-app-on-nexus-handsets/https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/26/google-is-killing-off-the-device-assist-app-on-nexus-handsets/https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/26/google-is-killing-off-the-device-assist-app-on-nexus-handsets/#comments
Google is killing off its homegrown Device Assist app that helps navigate the ins and outs of certain phones. That means tools like speed tests, settings for battery saving and live tech support are going away in favor of a website with tips and tricks. Affected folks with Android One, Google Play Edition or Nexus handsets will notice a "detected issue" card within the app, according to Android Police, with a link for Google Support when they try to use the application. It has already been removed from the Play Store, and 9to5Google writes that the app is still semi-functional and that no new tool tips will be added.

The WiFi Assistant feature from Google's Project Fi wireless network turned out to be one of Nicole's favorite parts of the service, and now more people will have access to it. Google announced today that it's bringing the ability to "automatically and securely connect" to over a million hotspots to Nexus owners in the US, Canada, Mexico and Nordic countries. WiFi Assistant identifies open, unprotected hotspots with good connections, and if you don't want your network on the list then you may want to take a look at these instructions (or, just make sure it has any password protection at all).

If there was any doubt that HTC is working on at least one Nexus phone this year, the FCC (and a handful of leaks) just erased it. The regulator has received an HTC filing for smartphones that will be explicitly branded as a Nexus -- a letter says you'll find the user manual on Google's Nexus page. The entries don't really show the devices or say exactly what they can do, but the hardware should have full network support for all major North American carriers and beyond. Not that there's much mystery as to what one of those devices looks like, as you'll soon see.

While we've had early looks at Android Nougat for months, it appears Google may be saving other software tweaks for its next Nexus devices. Android Police has screenshots that it says show "in progress" evidence of the new software, with a replacement for the Google Search bar widget at the top, a new way to open up the app drawer and space for potentially revamped navigation buttons.

The FCC gets more complaints over spam calls than anything else, and recently told telecom companies to block them for free. Until that happens, Google has made it easier for Nexus or AndroidOne device owners to see if a call is spam and block it, thanks to an update to its phone app. If you have caller ID enabled on those devices, spam or robo-calls will pop up with a red screen and warning that says "suspected spam caller." After taking or rejecting the call, you can either block the number or report that it's legit if Google flagged it in error.

You might not have to wait long to see whether or not rumors of Google having more say over phone designs are true. Sources speaking to the Telegraph claim that Google will release a smartphone with tighter controls over "design, manufacturing and software" before the end of the year. The details of the phone aren't available, but this wouldn't be a Nexus from the sound of it -- those are shaped more by third parties that maintain at least some of their influence. The Pixel C tablet might (might) offer an inkling of what to expect.

Buying a Nexus device straight from Google can be a little intimidating to newcomers. It's not as if you can visit a Google store or your carrier for help, after all. If an Android Policeleak is accurate, however, you might not have to. The Android creator is reportedly working on a Google Support app that would offer live help somewhat akin to Amazon's Mayday. If needed, you'd have the option sharing your screen with a service agent -- they could walk you through changing a setting without having to guess what you're looking at. It's not certain what else is in store, but it's safe to say that chat would be part of the experience.

It's now been seven months since Huawei began selling its first (very well made) Nexus smartphone and consumers are already looking at what Google has planned for its 2016 refresh. The search giant typically keeps its manufacturing partners close to its chest, so it's fallen on the Chinese company to start teasing a future device on its behalf. In an interview with Gear Burn, Charlene Munilall, General Manager of its South African consumer business group, has suggested that Huawei is building another Nexus device, telling the gadget site "we're doing the Nexus again this year, by the way."

For years, Google's Nexus devices have been synonymous with stock Android. While they may be showcases for new features, they still represent the baseline for what the platform can do. That might not last for much longer, though. CEO Sundar Pichai told guests at the Code Conference that Google will "thoughtfully add more features" to Android on Nexus phones going forward. The company will also be more "opinionated" about the design, the exec said. Third-party companies will still make the hardware, but it's evident that rumors of Google taking greater control of the Nexus program were well-founded.